Malcolm Clausen

The New Zealand team manager, Tony Walton, reports on the team’s results at the Los Angeles 1985 World Deaf Games including where the team stayed and played at.

Coverage of the Labour Weekend NZ Deaf Sports Convention at Lower Hutt, Wellington in 1977.

Narrated by Tony Walton, the New Zealand team’s plans are disrupted two hours into their flight with an engine problem. They are forced to return back to Auckland.

A homemade Sydney documentary on the Australian Deaf Rugby league team’s tour of New Zealand in 1990 from preparation, the tour, the tests, and triumphant return home.

Members of the Canterbury Deaf community make for a picnic on a lovely day, with tug-o-war and running races.

The New Zealand Deaf team marched on Dominion Road, accompanied by police, with farewell speeches at Auckland Deaf Society before departing for the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles.

The Canterbury Deaf Club Basketball & Netball teams travels to Greymouth, with the ‘Deaf Boys’ playing against the ‘Hot Shots’ and winning 67-54.

The New Zealand basketball team battled it out with Sweden on 13 July 1985, at Pepperdine University, Malibu. The first half went to Sweden, 81 to 25, before the New Zealanders fought back for a better second half, ending with 156 to Sweden and 74 to New Zealand. It was the New Zealand basketball team’s second loss at the Games, having earlier lost to Israel. They came 7th out of 8 teams at the Games.

Footage of rugby league training, haka practice, game planning, changing room preparations, and actual game footage of all three matches between the Deaf Kiwis and Australian teams, and even a visit to the hospital for an injured Kiwi player!

The Christchurch Deaf Club members have a picnic at Diamond Harbour, with traditional sports and activities.

New Zealand sends 30 athletes to the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, with footage of the opening ceremony. The flagbearer for New Zealand was John Ooteman, with Susie Ovens carrying the kiwi mascot. The Gallaudet Dance Company also put on a performance. Footage shows a fly by with a sign saying ‘WELCOME WORLD GAMES FOR THE DEAF’.

The educational TV series ‘Spot On’, visits a Deaf basketball training session to catch up with Royce Flynn and Megan Mansfield, and understand how the sport is played by Deaf athletes, and controlled by a Deaf referee.

The popular basketball programme was hosted over two days at Cowles Stadium with footage coverage of the Manawatu and Christchurch ladies competing for the Otago Deaf Society Cup, which Manawatu won (19-15). The winner of the Cunliffe Memorial Cup (men’s) went to Christchurch, with the runner up Wellington (63-56).

It’s not often we get to see four New Zealanders on the podium at the same time, and that is what we get in this video! It's most certainly time to break out the champagne when the team gets back to their base with a speech by the team manager.

The Australian and New Zealand Deaf men play basketball at the Trans-Tasman Games, held at Lincoln College, Canterbury in January 1979.

Crowd based footage of the Men’s Basketball final at the 1989 World Games for the Deaf in Christchurch, which USA won 127-56. This footage includes the warm up, edited highlights of the match, medal ceremony, team photos, and post-match socialising.

Dressed in jandals, John Ooteman takes to the podium for his gold medal in the 35 km time trial, supported by a crew of New Zealand supporters. 

The Christchurch Deaf Mens Basketball team travel to Greymouth, accompanied by the Deaf netball team.